


no better to be safe than sorry

by daddygrandpaandthebeaver (CourtneyCourtney)



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/F, Internalized Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27580910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourtneyCourtney/pseuds/daddygrandpaandthebeaver
Summary: Prompt N. things you said after you kissed me“It was just a joke!”
Relationships: Robin Buckley/Heather Holloway
Kudos: 6





	no better to be safe than sorry

**Author's Note:**

> First posted [on October 19, 2020](https://daddygrandpaandthebeaver.tumblr.com/post/632465995972460544/ficlet-no-better-to-be-safe-than-sorry)
> 
> Set in some nebulous AU where Heather was possessed by the mindflayer but survived
> 
> Yes, the title is from aha's "Take On Me." No, it isn't as humorous as that would imply.

“It was just a joke!”

Robin is aware that she’s babbling. She can feel the downward spiral, and her mouth is trying so hard to control the situation before it can get any worse. “It didn’t mean anything. I was just fooling around, you know?”

Her mouth and her brain are so disconnected, Robin can’t take the two seconds to figure out why Heather followed her out to the parking lot in the first place. She can’t figure out why Heather’s face has fallen since she started talking or why Heather’s eyes are suddenly shiny under the yellow glow of the street light.

“Oh,” is all Heather says in response. “You didn’t… I guess…” She has her arms wrapped around her own stomach, like she’s cold. She looks down at her feet, dark wavy hair falling in her eyes for a second, then she looks back up with obvious determination. “Why, though? Why did you do it in the first place? With me?”

Robin wants to swallow her own tongue. “It’s just…” _Because you looked so prett_ y _tonight. Because you’ve been so nice to me the past few months. Because I wanted to, and I’ve wanted to since we met two years ago even though I know it’s wrong and you would never_ really _like me, not the way I want you to._

Robin shrugs broadly. “Because it’s funny? I mean, you know how guys are… They think it’s hot when girls…” _When girls what?_ When the fuck has Robin ever cared what men do or do not find attractive? “Mess around with each other. I just thought it would give them something to talk about.”

Heather’s frown deepens. “You seriously think guys like Steve and Jonathan think that?”

Robin is struck with the realization that she is, in fact, an idiot. Like Steve has done anything to invalidate her feelings for women since the summer she came out to him. Like Jonathan isn’t just one of the kindest people she knows but also one of the least talkative. Like she isn’t going to go back inside to two concerned pairs of eyes trailing her the rest of the night (three if either of them told Nancy what the fuck just happened).

And _Jesus Christ_ , who does Robin have to beg to make Heather just _stop_ picking at this thread? Why can’t she just laugh it off? Why can’t she just tell Robin how disgusting she is and walk away?

Robin flounders. “I don’t know. Maybe. It’s just… something to do. For fun, anyway.”

“For fun,” Heather says through pursed lips. It’s not a question.

Robin cringes as she replies. “Yeah.”

The street light buzzes above them. Heather stares at her some more, and then her expression hardens. She sniffs. “Well, you shouldn’t. Do that. Some people might take it the wrong way.” And with that, she turns on her heel to head back inside.

Robin stuffs her hands in the pockets of her denim jacket, looking helplessly around the empty lot for a sign of what to do next. If she should wait in case Heather comes back. If she should head home to lick her wounds in private. It’s too quiet. She can’t make herself move from her spot.

She tries not to think too hard about how Heather’s eyes were still kind of watery when she left.


End file.
